MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian regional elections have tightened Vladimir Putin's grip on power and underlined opposition failure to build street protest into an effective challenge at the start of the president's six-year term.Full story

KHIMKI/BRYANSK, Russia (Reuters) - The ruling United Russia party won elections around the country on Sunday, early results showed, but opponents alleged widespread violations in the voting that will preserve President Vladimir Putin's dominance. Full story

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin steered Dmitry Medvedev into the chairmanship of Russia's ruling party on Saturday and demanded reforms to the flagging organization he will rely on to keep his grip on the country's far-flung regions. Full story

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Yevgeniya Chirikova , mayor candidate, activist and environmental campaigner, speaks to her opponent Oleg Shakhov, the United Russia-backed candidate, at a polling station during local elections in the Moscow suburb of Khimki October 14, 2012. Russia held local elections from the Baltic Sea to the C